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08 April 2021 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Sonia SMall

How has COVID-19 further widened the gender inequality gap in the workplace?

This was the central question addressed during the first instalment of a webinar series on Gender and Social Justice hosted by the Unit for Institutional Change and Social Justice at the University of the Free State (UFS). The webinar, which was hosted on the UFS Qwaqwa Campus on 29 March 2021, featured Prof Pearl Sithole, Qwaqwa Campus Vice-Principal: Academic and Research; Advocate Nthabiseng Sepanya-Mogale, Commissioner at the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE); and Tholo Motaung, skills trainer, moderator, and gender activist at the Vaal University of Technology as panellists. 

Prof Sithole said COVID-19 revealed the disparity that still exists between men and women in the workplace. “COVID-19 has been the magnifier. We’ve modernised quite a lot, but we’re still unequal in terms of gender. Why are we not progressing in terms of women moving forward towards equality when there has been so much progressive thinking in the political space, social justice space, as well as in the kind of feminism we have had in academia? Why are we actually not winning the battle of just regarding each other as equals?” 

Women hardest hit by COVID-19 lockdown

Advocate Sepanya-Mogale said the lockdown revealed the gender gap mostly through the significant impact it has had on South African women.

In 2020, 34% of the country’s workforce comprised women – a sharp decline of 9,8% from 43,8% in 2018.
“This decline is alarming and a clear indication of who becomes the first victims, but that is hardly talked about. A lot of women have experienced resistance from industries they had been serving diligently,” she said. She said women were often faced with the burden of integrating their work with increased care responsibilities for their children and sometimes also the elderly as primary caregivers. The double responsibility placed on women continues to re-enforce gender roles in our societies and further pushes away the success of closing the gap on gender equality prospects in our society.

Advocate Sepanya-Mogale said women were the hardest hit in most industries. In the beauty and tourism industry; air transportation; informal trading; and healthcare sector to name a few, women bore the brunt the most. “Women are the biggest employees on all economic levels in South Africa, especially the low-income and unskilled levels,” she said.
She said as the spread of the virus was likely to continue disrupting economic activity, all sectors of society needed to get involved and play their part.

“As disease outbreaks are not likely to disappear in the near future, proactive international action is required to not only save lives but to also protect economic prosperity. Academic institutions are authorities in terms of opening up new discussions, leading new debates, and putting critical issues at the centre of the table. Let us all do what we can so that we empower our people relevantly for the times we’re living in.”

News Archive

UV Voices Kamerkoor by die KKNK
2005-03-10

Membra Jesu nostri – Buxtehude (1637 – 1707)
 

Membra Jesu nostri patientis sanctissima (Die allerheilige liggaam van die lydende Jesus aan die kruis) deur Buxtehude het die Kruisiging van Jesus as tema.

Die uurlange werk word in Latyn gesing en handel in elk van die sewe dele oor ‘n deel van Jesus se liggaam aan die kruis: voete, knië, hande, die sy, bolyf, hart en gesig. Voices Inc – Kovsie kamerkoor word bygestaan deur die Odeion Strykkwartet met Francois Henkins, Abrie de Wet, John Wille en Michaela Haller. Die kontrabas word deur Alba Henkins-Molller bespeel en Jan Beukes is die orrelis.

Die woorde in Latyn wat buitengewoon was vir ‘n werk deur Buxtehude, is geneem uit die Latynse Bybel (Vulgate) en van die Rhytmica Oratio Sancti Bernadi, ‘n strofiese gedig deur St Bernard van Claivaux (c1090 – 1153).

Die wyse waarop Jesus se pyn aan die kruis uitgebeeld word asook die gebed en uitroep van versoening tussen God en die mensdom was deel van die Piëtiste se oortuigings van die tyd.

Die werk is saamgestel uit sewe afsonderlike dele wat telkens deur ‘n instrumentale sonate aangekondig word. Die koor lui die vokale bydrae in en sluit elke deel ook af. Die res van die werk bestaan uit verskillende groeperings van solo’s en trio’. Interessante vokale kombinasies kan gehoor word, bv. twee soprane en bas asook sopraan, alt en tenoor.

Hierdie opwindende aanbieding van Membra Jesu nostri, ‘n juweel uit die Baroktydperk, word aangebied deur ‘n groep energieke studente van Kovsies. Die jeugdige klank van die soliste – almal studente aan die Universiteit van die Vrystaat - dra by tot die egtheid van die Barok-klank. Die koor staan onder leiding van Leona Geldenhuys, dosent in Koorleiding aan die UV.

Optreedatums in die Moederkerk op Oudtshoorn. is:

 

  • Vrydag 25 Maart om 19:00
  • Saterdag 26 Maart om 13:00
  • Sondag 27 Maart om 19:00
  • Maandag 28 Maart om 16:00
  • Dinsdag 29 Maart om 10:00

Toegang is R50,00

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